“Our greatest frustration is the testing process,” insisted
the youngest monk. “Manual testing is tedious, and automated
tests are troublesome to compose. Both are distractions
from the authorship of code.”

The master considered this, and said: “It is certain that we
could forgo testing altogether, if we knew our code to be
perfect. How, then, may we achieve perfection?”

“Through practice,” said one monk.

“Through diligent study,” said another.

“Through the appeasement of the proper gods,” said a third.

An old white-bearded monk, who had been sitting quietly in
the corner, raised his head:

“I know how perfection may be achieved,” he said. “But I
fear that all who hear my answer will be forever unconvinced
of its truth unless I speak exactly the right words, with
the most pleasing of intonations, at the most propitious
time of day. I must now consider how this is best done.”

The old monk fell silent for a long time. Eventually the
dinner-bell sounded.